


Alive

by Pantherlily



Category: Critical Role (Web Series), UnDeadwood (Web Series)
Genre: TW for blood and minor gore, UnDeadwood Mini-series (Critical Role), fix it fic?, you betcha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:49:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21507673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pantherlily/pseuds/Pantherlily
Summary: An AU fix-it fic to my previous posted one shot Live because I figured y'all needed this. You do not need to have read the first one for this to make sense.Spoilers for episode four.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	Alive

Mason watched as Aloysius gunned down Clayton. What else could he do but stand there helplessly? Lord help him, he was a coward, wasn’t he? He had run from his past and now he couldn’t even save his friend. Miriam had tried to talk their friend down and poor Arabella just watched in shocked silence. And the gunslinger? He didn’t do damn thing to save himself either. The Reverend could tell Clayton had been trying to shoot the gun out of Aly’s hand but to no avail. It was a precise and difficult shot, with a small target, that it would have taken a crack shot to make it.

When it was all said and done, they watched Aloysius just walk away before moving over to the still form of the gunslinger. Miriam was inconsolable and Mason was about to embrace her in a hug, but Arabella beat him to it. It didn’t take but a quick glance at Clayton’s body and his brows furrowed in confusion. There was blood from the gunshot to the stomach but the one that had struck the chest was suspiciously devoid of crimson. Hope surged through him and he dropped to his knees to get a closer look.

“Mr. Sharpe?” The voice came out a superstitious whisper, as if afraid saying it too loud might actually make the gunslinger dead. There was no answer and a tightness in his chest came. Mason was about to curse himself for being stupid enough to believe that someone could survive a bullet through the heart but his own stopped in surprise when Clayton’s eyes sprung open.

The gunslinger coughed, as he became aware of the sharp pain in his abdomen. Fuck. He couldn’t possibly be dead, it wouldn’t hurt this much. Unless he was in Hell, then he reckoned that might make more sense. His unfocused gazed soon looked upon Mason’s face, confusion spreading across his features. He tried to speak but all that came out was another sputtering cough, a hand moving instinctively to try and stop the blood oozing from the fresh wound.

“Lord Almighty, it’s a miracle.” Mason scooped up Clayton easily but carefully. “Ladies.” His voice was hushed but urgent to draw their attention. He was certain they hadn’t realized the gunslinger was still alive. Even though Deadwood no longer had a Doctor, he moved to the now abandoned building. It would give them much needed privacy.

The Reverend heard more than saw them following him. He was far too focused on Clayton at the moment. His already long strides quickened further when he realized that the gunslinger had fallen back into unconsciousness. Due to the pain most likely, but the man in his arms was still breathing albeit slowly. He kicked the door open forcefully, grimacing when he realized the reverberation of his body also jostled Clayton. He set the gunslinger down on a bed gently, as he heard one of the ladies shutting the door behind him. “Arabella?” She was the closest thing the town had to a doctor now and frankly, Mason didn’t trust anyone else to look at their friend right now.

“I’ll be right back.” She smiled at Miriam, who nodded in response while wiping away a few tears. She didn’t know what the hell she was doing but she was smart and liked to read, so deductive reasoning would have to be enough. “Find me some bandages. We need to stop the bleeding.” She spoke with a calmness she didn’t feel internally but she could fall apart later. They all needed her to keep her shit together right now.

Miriam jumped into action. She needed Clayton to live, especially after everything that had happened. She wouldn’t let herself stay shell-shocked forever. She was a strong woman, dammit. It took a few minutes to find what she was looking for, since she wasn’t that familiar with where the previous doctor had left his supplies. Once she did, she was by Arabella’s side in instant and holding them for her.

While waiting the bandages, Arabella began to remove Clayton’s clothes. He wouldn’t like that, but fuck him, his life needed saving and that was more important. “Reverend, if you would kindly turn Mr. Sharpe so I can wrap the bandages all the way around and take off the rest of his clothes.”

Mason wordlessly did as told, and it was then he realized why the second bullet hadn’t been fatal. How could he have forgotten? He wasn't sure why he had felt the need to give his Bible to Clayton. Maybe it had been God. It must have been. He didn't care it was damaged, just that the gunslinger was safe. The Bible had saved the Clayton’s life, after it had been placed inside the pocket of the dark duster. The bullet that came for his life had been stopped by the thick book.

* * *

The road to recovery was long and arduous. The town had limited medical supplies and Clayton was a stubborn sonuvabitch who didn’t want to stay in bed. They had thought keeping Aly in the dark or at bay would be difficult, but he was being distant. Like he didn’t care. There was no remorse in those eyes when they stared at him. While he didn’t appear to be haunted by what he did, they _were_.

Miriam hardly left Clayton’s side. Every once in awhile the Reverend would get her to leave, but only if she was sure Matthew or Arabella was there with her injured friend. The gunslinger didn’t like it but that was too bad for him, because he had folks who cared about him now whether he wanted them to or not.

It was about a week after it had happened, and Clayton was finally able to limp around without too much help. Miriam hadn’t need to be told to leave today, as she was finally satisfied that the gunslinger was just too stubborn to die at this point. While walking to across the street, she saw Aloysius and her body tensed. He had clearly seen her as well, because he made a beeline right for her.

Maybe if she hadn’t been fraught with so much anger, she might have noticed that the Aly that had gunned down Clayton and the one that now stood in front of her were not the same person.

“Miriam…” He barely got the single word out before he got slapped hard across the cheek. “Reckon I deserve that.”

“Damn right you do and more.” Miriam fumed, glaring at him balefully. “I will never forgive you for what you did and so help me, you come after him again I will kill you.”

Aly stood in stunned silence a moment before he could no longer bear to look at those eyes that held such pain and admonishment. “Suppose you won’t.” He hesitated, as acknowledgment of what had been said to him fully registered. “Wait…again? I…” He choked on the words. “…I shot him…through the heart…you mean to tell me that stubborn bastard is still alive?” He laughed now, but it held no mirth.

The instinct to hold and console the man in front of her hit her hard suddenly, but Miriam was suspicious. Why the sudden change of heart? “You didn’t give a damn yesterday.” Her words didn’t hold near the bite as they had before.

Aloysius shrugged. He wasn’t entirely sure, except that after trying to fix a wound he had suddenly lost all emotional empathy. Was that because he failed? Was that the price to pay when tapping into that power didn’t have the desired outcome? “I can’t explain it right now but know that I am sorry for what happened.”

For a moment, Miriam didn’t think she was going to get an answer and it made her angry all over again. When an explanation was given, it didn’t give any resolution. She felt like she was missing something, but she could worry about that later. “You can apologize to him yourself, but if this is some sort of ruse it will not end well for you.”

Did he even have the courage to look Clayton in the eyes right now? It didn’t matter anyway, because Miriam had already looped their elbows and began steering them towards the Doc’s place. She seemed to notice his trepidation because she patted him on the arm in what he took to be a reassuring manner.

When they walked through the door, the Reverend stood with a quickness he didn’t think a person of his size could possess and immediately put himself between Clayton and himself.

“It’s all right,” Miriam assured Mason.

There was a pause but slowly the Reverend moved out of the way.

Aloysius was surprised when Clayton gave him a bit of a smirk. Like the gunslinger knew something he didn’t.

“Good to see you back to yourself.” Clayton grunted as he shifted to a sitting position on the bed. He knew something about failing a spell. There was a reason he hadn’t shot to kill.

The apprehension and confusion must have shown on his face because the gunslinger simply tipped his hat at him. He glanced at the rest of the Deadwood 5, and realized they were going to be okay. It would all be all right.


End file.
